"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" - Amanda Bradley

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"Up on the housetop reindeer pauseOut jumps good old Santa ClausDown through the chimney with lots of toysAll for the little ones, Christmas joysHo, ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn't go?Up on the housetop, click, click, clickDown through the chimney with old Saint Nick"- Benjamin Russell Hanby

I looked at the Christmas countdown and was a little shocked. I don't know why. I know the date (most of the time) and I know when Christmas is...But, eight days? Boy howdy that is soon! So, I had a plan for my blog this month. I think I shared the plan with only a few people, but now I am going to share with you my failed-until-this-point-plan. My plan was to share pictures of Christmases past. I scanned and scanned and scanned for about a week for a few "little" projects I was (am) doing so I have the pictures. However, I didn't get around to doing these posts. So, here is the first post of Christmas past. Better late than never.

First, the song above has been a favorite Christmas song since I first heard it probably in pre-school. I love it...It is snappy and fun!

Second, the pictures. When I was young my Grandpa Bud worked at the cement plant. Every year the plant hosted a Christmas party at the local skating rink. I loved those parties. I loved to skate, I would go skating anytime I had the opportunity. One of the guys at the plant would volunteer to dress up as Santa and of course there were pictures and treats. OH the treat bags. I looked forward to the treat bags all month! The bags were filled with peanuts, oranges, soft chewy peppermint candies and Santa gave a big candy cane. Yes, I looked forward to that bag all month. LOVED it! I was evidently pretty easy to please. (yes, I know that one of these Santas is a little scary, thanks for that Cheryl, however as I kid I didn't notice, they were all super nice guys!)

Do you have any songs/poems that you learned as a child that bring Christmas back for you? In addition to Up On The Housetop, the Chipmunk Christmas Song makes my childhood flood back. I had the Chipmunk record (YUP record) and would play it as often as possible, which wasn't as often as I would have liked due to the fact that my mom would only let me play it maybe once or twice in her presence. I would go to my room and listen on my little blue portable record player, but had to listen very quietly so my mom wouldn't freak out about the Chipmunks...she doesn't like those little critters. at. all. And listening to the Chipmunks quietly isn't nearly as fun...

Hey, I was just trying to make sure you were aware of an "iffy" Santa. I'm just saying is all ...

I think pretty much all the traditional Christmas songs do it for me. Although my favorite song has varied over the year. I'm not sure how your mom could NOT like the Chipmunks ... c'mon, he just wants a huuuuuuuula-hoooooooop!!

My very favorite serious song is "Away in a Manger." My very favorite funny song is "12 Days of Christmas" as sung by Bob and Dough McKenzie.

I remember learning 2 verses of "Away in a Manger" when I was 5 and in a church Christmas program. I still know those 2 verses to this day! The teacher was just that good! Sadly, she passed away about a year ago.

Ugh. Chipmunks. I'm so with your mom on that one! LOL My favorite Christmas song is "Darcy the Dragon" by Roger Whittaker (http://www.metrolyrics.com/darcy-the-dragon-lyrics-roger-whittaker.html). As a side note, on my list of 100 copied from your blog to mine, the solo that I sang was, in fact, Darcy the Dragon :)